Fixing systems including contact pre-heater and methods for fixing marking material to substrates

Abstract

Fixing systems and methods for fixing marking material to a substrate are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the fixing systems includes a pre-heating device including: a first fixing member including a first surface; a second fixing member including a second surface forming a first nip with the first surface; and a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; wherein the first surface and the second surface contact and pre-heat a substrate and marking material comprising toner disposed on a surface of the substrate when the substrate is received at the first nip to produce the temperature condition: T amb <T int <T m , where T amb is the ambient temperature, T int is the temperature at an interface between the marking material and the surface of the substrate, and T m is the melting temperature of the toner, the pre-heated toner adheres to the substrate substantially without adhering to the first surface or the second surface; and a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device including: a third fixing member including a third surface; and a fourth fixing member including a fourth surface forming a second nip with the third surface at which the pre-heated substrate is received. The third fixing member and fourth fixing member apply pressure to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip to fix the toner to the substrate.

1. A fixing system for fixing marking material to a substrate, comprising:
 a pre-heating device comprising:
 a first fixing member including a first surface; 
 a second fixing member including a second surface forming a first nip with the first surface; and 
 a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; 
 
 wherein the first surface and the second surface contact and pre-heat a substrate and marking material comprising toner disposed on a surface of the substrate when the substrate is received at the first nip to produce the temperature condition: Tamb <Tint <Tm, where Tamb is the ambient temperature, Tint is the temperature at an interface between the marking material and the surface of the substrate, and Tm is the melting temperature of the toner, the pre-heated toner adheres to the substrate substantially without adhering to the first surface or the second surface; and 
 a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device comprising:
 a third fixing member including a third surface; and 
 a fourth fixing member including a fourth surface forming a second nip with the third surface at which the pre-heated substrate is received; 
 
 wherein:
 the third fixing member and fourth fixing member apply pressure to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip to fix the toner to the substrate, 
 the fixing device comprises a second thermal energy source for heating at least one of the third surface and fourth surface, 
 the first fixing member comprises a first roll including the first surface, the second fixing member comprises a second roll including the second surface, 
 the third fixing member comprises a third roll including the third surface, 
 the fourth fixing member comprises a fourth roll including the fourth surface, 
 the first thermal energy source heats at least one of the first surface and the second surface to a temperature from about 50° C. to about 100° C., 
 the second thermal energy source heats the third surface to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 120° C., 
 the first roll and second roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 300 psi to about 2000 psi to the substrate and marking material at the first nip, and 
 the third roll and fourth roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 50 psi to about 500 psi to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The fixing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first roll comprises a rigid core and a first outer layer including the first surface over the core, the first outer layer comprising a material having toner release properties; and 
 the second roll comprises a rigid core and a second outer layer including the second surface over the core, the second outer layer comprising a material having toner release properties. 
 
     
     
       3. The fixing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first roll and the second surface of the second roll are impregnated with a material having toner release properties. 
     
     
       4. The fixing system of  claim 1 , wherein the third surface comprises anodized aluminum impregnated with a material having tone release properties. 
     
     
       5. The fixing system of  claim 1 , wherein the fixing device does not include a thermal energy source that actively heats the third roll or the fourth roll. 
     
     
       6. A printing apparatus, comprising:
 the fixing system according to  claim 1 ; and 
 a marking device for applying the marking material to the substrate before being received at the first nip, wherein the marking device comprises at least one marking station, each marking station contains a supply of the marking material for applying to the substrate. 
 
     
     
       7. A fixing system, comprising:
 a pre-heating device comprising:
 a first fixing member including a first surface; 
 a second fixing member including a second surface forming a first nip with the first surface; and 
 a first thermal energy source for heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; 
 
 wherein the first surface and the second surface contact and pre-heat a substrate and marking material comprising toner disposed on the substrate when the substrate is received at the first nip; and 
 a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device comprising:
 a third fixing member including a third surface; 
 a fourth fixing member including a fourth surface forming a second nip with the third surface at which the pre-heated substrate is received; and 
 a second thermal energy source for heating at least one of the third surface and fourth surface, 
 
 wherein:
 the third fixing member and forth fixing member apply pressure to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip to fix the toner to the substrate, 
 the first fixing member comprises a first roll including the first surface, 
 the second fixing member comprises a second roll including the second surface, 
 the third fixing member comprises a third roll including the third surface, 
 the fourth fixing member comprises a fourth roll including the fourth surface, 
 the first thermal energy source heats at least one of the first surface and the second surface to a temperature from about 50° C. to about 100° C., 
 the second thermal energy source heats the third surface to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 120° C., 
 the first roll and second roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 300 psi to about 2000 psi to the substrate and marking material at the first nip, and 
 the third roll and fourth roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 50 psi to about 500 psi to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The fixing system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first roll comprises a rigid core and a first outer layer including the first surface over the core, the first outer layer comprising a material having toner release properties; and 
 the second roll comprises a rigid core and a second outer layer including the second surface over the core, the second outer layer comprising a material having toner release properties. 
 
     
     
       9. The fixing system of  claim 7 , wherein the first surface of the first roll and the second surface of the second roll are impregnated with a material having toner release properties. 
     
     
       10. The fixing system of  claim 7 , wherein the third outer surface comprises anodized aluminum impregnated with a material having toner release properties. 
     
     
       11. A printing apparatus, comprising:
 the fixing system of  claim 7 ; and 
 a marking device for applying the marking material to the substrate before being received at the first nip, wherein the marking device comprises at least one marking station, each marking station contains a supply of the marking material for applying to the substrate. 
 
     
     
       12. A method of fixing toner to a substrate, comprising:
 applying marking material comprising toner to a substrate with a marking device; 
 feeding the substrate to a first nip of a pre-heating device, the first nip being formed by a first surface of a first fixing member and a second surface of a second fixing member; 
 heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; 
 contacting and pre-heating the substrate and marking material at the first nip to produce the temperature condition: Tamb<Tint<Tm, where Tamb is the ambient temperature, Tint is the temperature at an interface between the marking material and the surface of the substrate, and Tm is the melting temperature of the toner, the pre-heated toner adheres to the substrate substantially without adhering to the first surface or the second surface; and 
 feeding the pre-heated substrate and marking material to a second nip of a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device, the second nip being formed by a third surface of a third fixing member and a fourth surface of a fourth fixing member; and 
 applying pressure to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip to fix the toner to the substrate, 
 wherein the fixing device comprises a second thermal energy source for heating at least one of the third surface and fourth surface,
 the first fixing member comprises a first roll including the first surface, the second fixing member comprises a second roll including the second surface, 
 the third fixing member comprises a third roll including the third surface, 
 the fourth fixing member comprises a fourth roll including the fourth surface, 
 the first thermal energy source heats at least one of the first surface and the second surface to a temperature from about 50° C. to about 100° C., 
 the second thermal energy source heats the third surface to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 120° C., 
 the first roll and second roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 300 psi to about 2000 psi to the substrate and marking material at the first nip, and 
 the third roll and fourth roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 50 psi to about 500 psi to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate is advanced from the first nip of the pre-heating device to the second nip of the fixing device within about 100 ms to about 1000 ms. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate and marking material are not actively heated before being fed to the first nip of the pre-heating device and are at a temperature of about Tamb when fed to the first nip. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the toner comprises a crystalline polymer material and an amorphous polymer material, the toner having a melting temperature which is lowered by heating the toner to a temperature above a threshold temperature. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises a polymer film. 
     
     
       17. A method of fixing toner to a substrate, comprising:
 applying marking material comprising toner to a substrate with a marking device; 
 feeding the substrate to a first nip of a pre-heating device, the first nip being formed by a first surface of a first fixing member and a second surface of a second fixing member; 
 heating at least one of the first surface and the second surface; 
 contacting and pre-heating the substrate and marking material at the first nip with the first surface and second surface; and 
 feeding the pre-heated substrate and marking material to a second nip of a fixing device disposed downstream from the pre-heating device, the second nip being formed by a third surface of a third fixing member and a fourth surface of a fourth fixing member; 
 heating at least one of the third surface and fourth surface; and 
 applying thermal energy and pressure to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip to fix the toner to the substrate,
 wherein the fixing device comprises a second thermal energy source for heating at least one of the third surface and fourth surface, 
 the first fixing member comprises a first roll including the first surface, the second fixing member comprises a second roll including the second surface, 
 the third fixing member comprises a third roll including the third surface, 
 the fourth fixing member comprises a fourth roll including the fourth surface 
 the first thermal energy source heats at least one of the first surface and the second surface to a temperature from about 50° C. to about 100° C., 
 the second thermal energy source heats the third surface to a temperature of about 70° C. to about 120° C., 
 the first roll and second roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 300 psi to about 2000 psi to the substrate and marking material at the first nip, and 
 the third roll and fourth roll are operable to apply a pressure of about 50 psi to about 500 psi to the pre-heated substrate and marking material at the second nip. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate is advanced from the first nip of the pre-heating device to the second nip of the fixing device within about 100 ms to about 1000 ms. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate and marking material are not actively heated before being fed to the first nip of the pre-heating device and are at a temperature of about Tamb when fed to the first nip. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the toner comprises a crystalline polymer material and an amorphous polymer material, the toner having a melting temperature which is lowered by heating the toner to a temperature above a threshold temperature. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the substrate comprises a polymer film.